In 1963 the North Carolina legislature approved bills making Charlotte College a four-year, state-supported college. The next year, 1965, the legislature approved bills creating the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the fourth campus of the statewide university system. In 1969, the university began offering programs leading to master’s degrees. In 1992, it was authorized to offer programs leading to doctoral degrees.

Now a research intensive University, UNC Charlotte is the fourth largest of the 16 institutions within the university of North Carolina system and the largest institution in the Charlotte region.

The University comprises seven professional colleges and currently offers 17 doctoral programs, 59 master’s degree programs and 85 leading to bachelor’s degrees. More than 900 full-time faculty comprise the university’s academic departments and the 2006 fall enrollment exceeded 21,500 students. UNC Charlotte boasts more than 75,000 living alumni and adds 4,000 to 4,500 new alumni each year